The Mets dropped their first home series since last season after their 4-2 loss to the Diamondbacks on Thursday afternoon at Citi Field. After the game, manager Carlos Mendoza and the players spoke about the game and other topics…
Kodai Senga catches the bug
The Mets have had a stomach virus go through their locker room these last few days — the same one that knocked Brandon Nimmo out — and Senga was not immune.
The right-hander caught the bug and his start on Thursday was up in the air until the day prior when he told the team he was feeling better.
“He’s one of the guys with the same virus,” Mendoza said after the game. “A couple of days ago, we didn’t know if he was going to be able to throw his bullpen. He ended up getting an IV, threw his bullpen, sent him home. Yesterday he felt a lot better.
“We didn’t know until yesterday. He came in and said he was good to go tomorrow. Obviously, today he got an IV and he gave us what he had.”
Senga gutted through just four innings (87 pitches/50 strikes) on Thursday afternoon. He allowed one run on five hits and three walks while striking out six batters.
Two innings got him, the second and the fourth, when the Diamondbacks got traffic on the bases, but Senga worked out of trouble. After the game, Senga, visibly tired, spoke about his outing and how he’s feeling.
“Not great, but I made the decision to go out there and pitch,” Senga said through an interpreter. “So as a starter, I wanted to go six-plus innings.”
In the loss, Senga’s four innings were the third-shortest start of his career, but he did extend his streak of not allowing more than two earned runs to 14 starts, which dates back to August 2023.
Decision not to use Edwin Diaz
Mendoza has mostly pushed the right buttons this season, but Thursday was the second consecutive game he elected not to bring in Diaz with his team behind in the later innings.
On Wednesday, the decision resulted in Chris Devenski — in his second inning of work — allowing two runs, which were enough to ice the game away. In Thursday’s game, Mendoza had a similar decision to make. Entering the ninth inning, and the Mets down 3-2, he elected to keep Reed Garrett in instead of use Diaz who was warmed up.
Garrett allowed a solo homer, and that wound up being the final run scored in the game. Mendoza was asked about that decision after the loss and echoed the same sentiments pregame, that he wasn’t going to “chase” wins so early.
“You’re talking about two high-leverage guys. Once Garrett got out of that eighth inning pitch efficient, you’re chasing,” Mendoza explained. “I thought ‘he’s pretty good too.’ I decided to stay with him. And he gave up the homer. That’s all to it.”
The home run Garrett allowed was the first earned run he’s given up all season.
Mendoza was then asked if Diaz was fine physically, and the Mets skipper said he was.
“He got up yesterday,” he said. “If it was tied [then], today, if it was tied or better, he was going to come into the games.”
Diaz last pitched Saturday, April 26, against the Nationals.
Jose Ureña elects free agency
The 33-year-old Ureña was designated for assignment by the Mets earlier this week, and despite clearing waivers, he elected free agency instead of accepting an outright assignment to the minors, per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo.
Ureña pitched one game for the Mets back on April 28 against the Nationals. In that game, he allowed five runs on seven hits and one walk across three innings but did come away with the save because of the Mets’ massive 19-5 win.
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